Joseph tatton



(N0 M odei.)

- Y J. TATTON.

SKIRT GRIP AND BELT SHAPER.

.No. 558,283. PatentedlApr. 14, 1896.

nu HF c M a} l lll g9}? m| UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH TATTON, OF LEEK; ENGLAND.

SKIRT-G RIP AND BELT-SHAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,233, dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed October 31,1895. Serial No. 567,531. (No model.) Patented in England July 3, 1895,].1'0. 12,834.

To a, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH TATTON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Leek, in the county of Stafford, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Skirt- Grip and Belt-Shaper, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, numbered 12,834, dated July 3, 1895,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved skirtgrip and belt-shaper, which is formed of a plate of thin sheet metal or other suitable material. This plate is perforated with any convenient number of holes at suitable intervals,by which means it is sewed into the bodice of a ladys dress or into a separate belt. The plate is shaped to fit the figure, and on the innor side it has two or any other number of bars soldered or otherwise secured to it to receive hooks on the skirt, &c. and in order that my invention may be fully understood and read ily carried into effect I will describe the accompanying sheet of drawings, reference being had to the letters marked thereon.

Figures 1 and 2 represent two views of a skirt-grip and belt-shaper made according to my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views, respectively, of an alternative form; and Fig. 5 is another modification of the same.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a represents a belt, and b a thin plate of metal, or it might be of any other suitable material, such as wood or vulcanite, which is curved and shaped to fit the figure, or any flexible material which would conform to the shape of the figure. To this plate I) is secured, by soldering orotherwise, a bar of metal or of other suitable material 0, which is bent preferably parallel to the body of the plate, so that a small space is left between the two to allow of hooks to be attached to it. The plate I) is sewed to the belt a, or it might be directly into the bodice of a ladys dress by thread, as shown, or the plate I) might be cemented or fastened in place in any other convenient and suitable way.

The hooks cl are sewed to the skirt of aladys dress, (not shown,) and these hooks are then hooked into the bar a, which supports the skirt when the belt a is fastened onto the waist of the wearer. In a similar manner a hook e, or more than one hook, maybe stitched to a bodice in the reverse direction to the hooks d, so that the bar 0 may serve to support the skirt and also hold down a bodice at the same time.

The bar 0 may be flat, as shown, or of any other suitable section, and more than one bar may be employed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in which the plate I) is made with two bars 0, which might be preferred for supporting both a skirt and holding down a bodice, although I believe a single bar will meet almost every requirement. Again, instead of attaching separate bars 0 to the plate I), a bar or bars 0 may be formed out of the plate I) by cutting and stamping, as shown in Fig. 5; or, instead of bars 0, hooks or eyes might be secured to the plate I) to engage eyes or hooks secured to the skirt or bodice, or the bars 0 might be secured to the dress to engage hooks on the plate I).

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

A skirt-support comprising a plate of curved form to correspond with the curve of the belt and having a bar extending longitudinally thereof to provide a free space extending from end to end of the plate, said bar being adapted to receive the hooks at any point along its length and to permit the adjustment of the belt, the said bar having movement in relation to the hooks in the adjustment referred to.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH TATTON. Witnesses:

S. W. GILLETT, HERBERT R. ABBEY. 

